Gabon Government announces list of presidential candidates

Gabon Government announces list of presidential candidates

Gabon which is currently ruled by interim president Rose Francine Rongombe, will see at least 23 candidates run for its official presidential elections in August following the death of former president Omar Bongo Ondimba

Candidates made public

Included in the list of 23 candidates is the name of Ali Ben Bongo, son of the late president of Gabon. Ali was chosen to represent the nations leading party, the Gabonese Democratic Party, earlier this month. Mr Bongo, who will maintain his position as Defence Minister until the August 30 elections, has expressed his desire to see a free and fair election and to redistribute Gabon’s wealth.

“We stopped taking files at 18:00 as planned…We received about 30, which is several more than the number of people who have publicly come out with their presidential ambitions”

says a CENAP source

A total of 30 candidates presented their candidacy for the upcoming elections. Gabon’s National Elections Commission, however rejected the applications of several candidates including some of those who tried to run as independents after falling out with their parties.